Found Out
by Mushmallow62
Summary: Shinobu was going to tell Zero, but this wasn't how he thought it would come about. SakyoxShinobu Yaoi


100 Theme Challenge

2. Love

PG

Yaoi

Shinobu was pushing himself harder than normal, the defeat at the hands of Kira making him want to become stronger; however he finds himself having to admit something to Zero and it's not the way he wanted to do it.

It was a long day of training for them, to be expected when it was Benkei pushing them so hard, Shinobu didn't want another defeat.

_Never again._ He vowed to himself, finding that he trained even more than usual, not just with his bey but also physically as well. He wasn't going to let himself be defeated so easily against Kira next time.

Although Benkei was impressed at how much he was improving he noticed little things as well and at the end of the training he beckoned for the Salamander blader to come over to him.

"Yes?" He asked, not meaning to be rude, but he was itching to train some more.

"You seem to be pushing yourself rather hard," Benkei began but Shinobu shook his head.

"If I am to become a greater blader than the Legend Bladers I _need _to push myself more,"

"You don't push yourself Shinobu, you shouldn't force yourself or your bey to do more training than you can already handle,"

"I'll be fine," Shinobu tried to assure him, but the look in Benkei's eyes told him that it won't be happening any time soon.

Instead of arguing his case he just nodded and left, finding that Zero had decided to wait for him and that filled him with dread, he looked around _knowing_ that Sakyo would come around at some point to meet up with him.

"Why are you still here?"

"Thought I'd walk you home," Zero said with a shrug; "What did Benkei want?"

"Nothing new," He fibbed; "Where did Mal go? I thought…"

"She had to do something for Madoka,"

_I just want you to go and leave me alone. I don't want trouble, but it will happen when…_

"Well well, been a while hasn't it Zero?"

_Sakyo arrives._ Shinobu let out a sigh he hadn't been aware he had held in.

Zero glared at the red head infront of them; "Sakyo!" He growled and reached for his bey and launcher.

"So desperate for a rematch? Yet I recall that I would battle you in the Zero-G stadium," Sakyo told him and glanced at Shinobu; "So training went well?"

Zero blinked; "Huh? What are you…? We can battle at a Zero-G stadium!"

Sakyo just glanced at him and shook his head; "No," His attention was back to Shinobu who look uncomfortable at the situation he was in; "Still pushing yourself beyond your limits. Normally I would applaud you for it, but right now I think you are being stupid and stubborn,"

"_I'm_ being stubborn?" Shinobu forgot about him not wanting Zero to know about his relationship and rounded on Sakyo; "I want to become stronger and defeat Kira the next time I face him!"

"Huh?" Zero looked at the two arguing, not sure what was going on.

"And you will, but you are pushing yourself _and_ your bey through too much pressure," Sakyo informed him, trying to make the other blader see that he was essentially _forcing_ himself to do too much, too soon; "You won't be able to beat Kira if you aren't thinking clearly,"

_How does Sakyo know about Shinobu's defeat to Kira? Or about how hard he's been training over the past few weeks?_ Zero was still wondering what was going on between the two, he was _sure _that there was something, but it was Shinobu!

"I have been thinking clearly! I still battle you!"

_Wait, what? How could Shinobu battle Sakyo without him knowing about it? They were friends weren't they?_

"And your focus has been lacking," Sakyo told him and Shinobu flinched at that; "Harsh words but true, your focus is off because you _aren't sleeping_, you are training until the dead of night and begin again at the crack of dawn before you go and train with _them_,"

"What?!" Zero finally butt into the argument and Shinobu looked at him in surprise, clearly having forgotten him while he argued with Sakyo; "How does _he_ know about your battle against Kira? And what about you battling him? How come I don't know about this?"

Shinobu looked away from him, ashamed that he had kept this secret from his friend and yet he also knew it was necessary.

"Oddly enough Zero…" Sakyo said with a smirk;

_No, no, don't tell him Sakyo, please don't tell him._ Shinobu pleaded inside his head, hoping that his lover wouldn't blurt out the fact that they were seeing each other and were sleeping with each other as well.

"Myself and Shinobu have become friends," He finished and Shinobu felt himself almost collapse in relief.

"No way, you are too cold and heartless," Zero hit back, refusing to believe him and Shinobu felt himself flinch at that, yet Sakyo didn't have one flicker of emotion show if he was hurt by that or not.

_He must be used to those comments._ Shinobu thought and sighed; "Zero, don't say that,"

"Huh? But come on Shinobu how…"

"He's not my friend," Shinobu began and now he saw the flicker of pain in those red eyes of his lover; "He's… He's my boyfriend," He finally admitted and the two males looked at him in surprise.

"Boy… friend?" Zero said it slowly, trying to understand what Shinobu had just told him.

"Shinobu?" Sakyo just looked at him in question, surprise that he admitted that they were in a relationship to his friend and without even planning for it either.

_I thought he would just deny it all… Tell Zero that I was hassling him._ Sakyo would never admit it out loud, at least not before witnesses but he appreciated the fact that Shinobu made it clear that they were indeed together.

"No way!" Zero took a step back, after figuring out what Shinobu had said; "No… How? Why?"

Sakyo repressed a smirk from working its way to his lips, although that was rather hard. He never realised that Zero was so oblivious to what was happening, nor did he think he would ask such silly questions.

"The how isn't something you need to know," Sakyo told him and pulled Shinobu close to him.

"Sakyo…" His green eyed lover said softly.

"I'll handle this," He whispered back.

"Then why? Why him Shinobu?" Zero demanded to know, glaring at them.

"Like you can dictate who we fall in love with," Sakyo hit back and Zero took another step back, his eyes wide at what he had heard.

_Fall in love?_ Zero repeated in his head.

"In love?" Shinobu looked up at his lover who smiled softly down at him and nodded.

"Yes," He glanced over to Zero and returned his gaze to his lover; "Not exactly how I wanted to have it come out, but can't be helped,"

Shinobu felt his heart flutter, pleased to hear those words even though the circumstance wasn't exactly ideal but still… those words meant something to him.

"But…" Zero looked at them both in disbelief, still not sure what to think about it all.

"Zero, I guess this is a surprise, but that's the reason why I never told you," Shinobu began and when Zero looked at him he shrinked back at the fierce anger in those eyes; "This is why I never told you. You'd never accept _my_ choice,"

"It's a bad choice," Zero told him coldly.

"You don't have to approve," He snapped back; "I don't need your blessing about my relationship with Sakyo, I just…" He calmed down and looked up at Sakyo before returning to meet Zero's gaze; "I just want your acceptance,"

"You aren't thinking properly, he's just using you!"

Sakyo held Shinobu tighter in his hold, the only way that he would be able to tell that Zero's words hard hit deeper than he'd ever admit.

"You know something Zero, it doesn't matter. If he is using me, well that is my mistake isn't it?" Shinobu told him, keeping his voice even and calm, although he found it rather hard to do; "Because you know something? I love him too,"

Zero just looked at him in complete shock; "But…"

"No Zero, you've made your feelings about this rather clear," Sakyo spoke and looked at Shinobu who nodded slowly; "I suggest you head home. Tell your little _friends_ if you want to, if they wish to be like you and disregard Shinobu's decision…."

"Then that just shows what kind of friend they truly are," Shinobu finished and gently nudged Sakyo so that they could leave.

"You'll regret your decision Shinobu," Zero said although they both heard him they didn't acknowledge him at all; "He'll only throw you away once he's used you,"

Once they were away from Zero, Shinobu stopped walked and pressed his face into Sakyo's chest, not sure of all the emotions that were fluttering around him in that moment, but he knew one thing that was crystal clear;

_Zero is no friend of mine._

The very thought stung him, after all he and Zero had gone through, their friendship was now in tatters and it would be a miracle if it would ever go back to the way it once was.

"We were syncro partner's…" Shinobu said softly; "Our… _bond_ made us strong,"

"Syncro?" Sakyo remembered hearing about that and nodded; "It works for any blade though doesn't it?"

"I think so,"

"Then our bond should be stronger shouldn't it?" Sakyo told him and Shinobu smiled; "We'll practice later. Once you rest, _properly._

"All right," Shinobu pulled him close and gently kiss his lips, before breaking off the kiss that Sakyo clearly wanted to last a lot longer as he pouted; "I love you,"

"I know you do," Sakyo said with a grin and moved to kiss him again, but paused to say; "I love you too,"

As they kissed, Shinobu wraps his arms around his neck and Sakyo resting his hands on his lover's waist they ignored the argument that had happened before. They forgot the friendship that had disintegrated into ash before their eyes; right now Shinobu had Sakyo and that was all that mattered to him.

Shinobu wasn't lying when he wanted Zero to respect his decision, that he didn't want Zero to bless their union or to be okay with it; but instead he saw what Zero was truly like and decided that he was more than likely better off without him.

_I have what I need here._


End file.
